Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1887-12-31

DECEMBER
. =
CANES AND MEN WHO CARRY THEM
Diagnosis 81 Game Beavers who Prom-
| enaAe On the Avenue.
now PHYucAL nFnxrrHs AND TRAITS or CHAR
] AcTKR ARE REVEALED By MINIS WALKING
srscxs-"sHow M TOUR CANE AND Ill TELL You
J. WHAT TOT ARk."
The Philosopher stood at the corner, to ieeward
| Of friendly tree, watching with thoughtful eye
the steady stream OF promenaders which poured
| down the Avenue. His left shoulder rested
lightly against the tree. relieving in some degree
the burden on his legs; his hands grasped each
other behind his back and his whole attitude and
aspect bespoke serious but not solemn contempla-
ton. There was that in the expression OF his eye
which said 1t vas looking through rather than at
| the moving spectacle OF human forms and faces:
penetrating the vain but wondrously varied and
| elaborate gowns and garments. and even the very
neshly raiment TO the inner souls and spirits
] which were the real men and women and boys and
girls. whose likes and dislikes and whims and
humors bounded and curbed, OF course, by the hard
lines OF circumstance, gave to the exterior show
its form and color. This no doubt, TEE STAR man
ventured to say to himself as he approached is
what the Philosopher is doing, or thinks he is do
ing. for the reporter and the Philosopher were on
as good terms as two individuals whose stations
IN INTELLECTUAL NE were 50 widely separated could
| the Philosophers mind up from the depths OF
thought in winch 1t seemed sunk.
| time. won't your" he said.
Canes" was the laconic reply, given without
any change n attitude except me Withdrawal Of
] 1t lightly on the shoulder Of the Questioner.
~ don't see what there is In canes that can
occupy your gigantic intellect 30 profoundly" said
There's great deal in canes" said the philoso-
R neT, taxing naSlg the cue very accommodatinsly;
ooh, yes, In some canes, said the reporter. "For
| instance, have seen canes with swords in them,
evil Of going out between acts at the theatAr.
which contained place in It's head for couple Of
swallows OF liquid re.reshment. Then there are
WHAT cANRs REFLECT.
"Canes." broke in the Philosopher, ignoring the
reporters ppancy, soften reflect much as fea-
lures or manner mans character. show me the
cane you carry and will tell you what sort OF
extenuating circumstances which must be taken
| into account. For instance, men carry canes from
, wnls, haDlt OF necessity; The last-mentioned
stick that will support their weight The second
class acquired the cane habit half unconSciously
perhaps, and while there Is some relation between
the stick they carry and their temperament and
character. IL is not SO well-denned as the first
class who carry canes from whim or because 1t Is
There goes man now" he continued after
pause, during which his eye wandered up and
d1~n among tne tnrong, .who belongs to the last
big, knotted yellow stick ne carries lightens the
load on that game leg of his, which just as like
1ederate lead. Probably some friend gave HIM
mat cane and he carries IL just as he would carry
one OF any other design or color strong enough to
pear MS weight. without giving a thought 10 its
peculiarities twice year. Here's another man OF
the thrd class coming up the Avenue. He is not
lame, but Is very feeble-Just recovering from a
fever, perhaps, or maybe In the last stages or de-
cline. See, he carries careleSsly strong stick,
which every one can see rs for use alone and which
he PROBABLY wouldn't be able to describe Ii he lost
quality.
THE HABTTUAL CANE-cARRIER.
"Here comes man across the Avenue who is an
excellent type OF the secondcass of cain-carriers
While not an absolute necessity to him, that thin,
flexible little stick in his right hand is OF
real use. 1t serves sedattve 10 his high.strunp
temperament and helps to carry of the surplus
Accommodations OF nervous electricity which his
active brain Is constantly generating while walk
ing. A little WHIP or almost anything else that
he could Slash about, would do nearly as well as a
cane though the latter IS doubtless the best after
all, for you see he occasionally digs II into the
ground sharply. That cane is to him what fan
Is to nervous woman, and one could almost fol-
low his train OF Thought and the changes In his
moods as he goes along by closely watching that
cane. And, be sure, he Is man Of moods, and OF
| unpleasant ones, too, though doubtless he is a
pretty goOd fellow at heart and has Keen active
mind that cuts through things with a swish, as
him carry any other kind OF cane and II cane
carrying came into general disrepute he would
hang ON TO MS Just the same. That kind OF man
has Ii good deal OF contempt for mere fashion.
+But there is even better sample or his class"
the philosopher said, as a large, good-natuied
looking man, rather fashionably dressed, came
within the range Of his vision. ''You see he car
lies handsome cane OF substantial bu id, like
himself. not Us II he thought IL the thing do,
nr taSS fort
Is PLAIN he Is leisurey man, who likes all these
little comforts and INDUCES himself in them with
Out scrnpe. but also without any great amount OF
life and has a fine collection OF them at home.
But about the first class. the most interesting
OF at?" inquired the reporter, getting anxious 70
pass along to what seemed the most promising
branch OF the subject
'.NOw, don't get impatient, my boy" said the
Philosopher. "fhiS Is u subject worthy OF your
attention, and ali branches OF it deserve careful
study.
DUDE CANE-BEARERs.
"But here comes a good SUBJECT for dissection
he continued, indicating typical dude who STROBE
along at the outer edge OF the procession bearing
an immense bone headed affair, whose diameter was
doubtless as great as that OF his own shanks
from the manner in which his Obstreperous trOv,s-
erS Tapped about his loose l01nted legs "That |
diagnose as Il beautiful case OF the first class or
ane-baafer That young man may be said to live,
move, and have his being principally in his cane.
his whole Dc.lS Ii set Ia rhythm with the swing
which he iinuS IL convenient FOR his f1accid arm TO
give that His stride Is gagged by it, the flow
OF his conversation is regulated by II, 1t impels
him TO cnoUse AS his promenade companions those
VINO carry canes OF similar weight and equal
aptoa5, 80 TO speak. In word, he strives to live
up TO that cane, most OF MS consciousness re-
sides In it, dare say, when ne Is not rejecting ON
his CATERS or his tie Or exchanging words with his
walking mate. / have noticed that there IS a
strange relation between the size OF the cane and
the physique and Intelligence OF the person who
carries IL. Now, that Ieilow who just passed was
feeble and rckety looking physically, but he
seemed 10 have wit enough to inspire MIN with
certain kind o; courage and self-cOnndence. Con-
sequently, ne carried not only the biggest kind OF
Cane but It had the most eccentric sort OF head.
Now, this dull, weak-lOOking boy coming up has,
you see, an Immense CANE, but there Is nothing
Ou,re in its design. He has hardly CLEAN OF In
telugeHce In his lace, but he Is evidently bent at
least being dude up to the limits OF his cOur-
aye. There goes iine ath. etlc!0Oking chap, tear
fully dudlsh dress, but his cane Is OF modest pro-
PORTIONS ami neat design. Here's another subject
the mid and proper young man, who has his cane
GRAsP4D BIT TEE MIDDLE
and carries 1t horizontally. That style Of carrying
It, 1 believe, is quite anttQuated now, but that
genteel young man has evidently not heard the
news His cane, you see is large but very plain in
design. IL Is the cane OF young man OF real
sweet habits, who plays the guitar and the banjo
uicely, never fails TO make his regular round OF
Calls at the strictly prOber time, and, In fact lives